Match Report – 6th December – New Mills Vipers U8s vs Richmond Rovers Azzurri U8s.

First game of the festive season unfortunately in driving Manchester rain and also the Vipers first at Didsbury High School up against Richmond Rovers. 

Almost a full team with Alistair out with his ankle injury he suffered the week before and Thomas back from his knee injury, Kingsley would start in goal, Kit on the right, Leo in the centre and Jude on the left.  Thomas and Elliott would play further forward with Logan and Lily our game changers. 

Our challenge to the team with week was find as many passes as we could and also could we try the 1-2s we had practiced in training.

The game started and both teams were clearly up for the game as both sides settled into passing the ball and trying their best to build attacks.  Solid defending from both sides ensured this wasn’t easy.  Both teams were restricted to long shots with Kingsley up the task keeping those shots out. We had a tireless Thomas causing Richmond problems with his pressing and tackling.  Elliott’s effective dribbling made it difficult for them to tackle him with Jude and Kit either side working brilliantly to support attacks but also get back and help defend.  

Leo read the game as well as always but was starting to control the game with his passing through defences. 

Logan and Lily came into the fray and gave the Vipers a new energy.  Lily every week is growing in confidence in taking players on and is really starting to find passes, she worked well again this week finding space for Jude and Kit to pass to her.  Logan’s powerful running made a difference with a driving run providing the opener.  Richmond were launching attacks themselves but the defence was defiant, not only defiant, but creative too. 

Leo not content with winning the ball saw a pass through to Logan running forward and he played a perfect through ball for Logan to score his second.  Awesome football from both players.  Kit almost added a third with a great effort which the keeper tipped onto the post.

At half time the encouragement stayed the same to keep passing the ball and working together to pass and move.  We praised the players shouting for the ball and calling for 1-2s and to keep it going. Thomas would take his turn with the gloves with Kingsley coming out take his turn further forward. The second half was just as good as the first with both teams again trying to play good passing football.  Logan playing at the back now was getting his tackles in and launching attacks with Kit running down the right.  Kingsley likes to get his shots away and always keen in the tackle, was unlucky as his shots were blocked away. 

One corner for the Vipers was cleared to Logan who decided to take a pot shot from distance which he managed to hit true high into the goal.  It would next be Elliott’s turn to get in on the scoring but the move to create his first was brilliant with almost the whole team involved in the build-up resulting in a perfect cross from Kit for Elliott to fire home.  Elliott managed to get another with a cross shot which went right across goal to finish in the far corner. 

By the end of the game the whole team had been involved in passing moves and we even saw a couple of 1-2s as we had challenged them.  I can’t single out anyone for their passing as the whole team did so brilliantly, hopefully more of the same to come.

Well done New Mills Vipers!!

⚽️🖤💛⚽️

#upthemillers